Pioneering Alzheimer’s test could increase early diagnosis

January 20, 2022 A pioneering EEG test could dramatically increase early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, researchers have announced.  Scientists have developed a two-minute passive-test called Fastball EEG that measures people’s brain waves in response to a series of images, potentially helping diagnose dementia earlier.  Participants look at a series of flashing images on a computer screen … Read more

New machine learning approach can identify your circadian rhythm from a blood sample

January 18, 2022 Many of the body’s physiological activities, including hunger, wakefulness, and metabolism, run on 24 hour cycles called circadian rhythms.  These cycles are primarily controlled by the release of chemical messengers into the bloodstream from the brain and have been linked to cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and weight-gain. Measuring circadian rhythms could significantly … Read more

FDA temporarily halts inspections due to Omicron COVID variant

January 11, 2022 Just before the New Year, on 29 December 2021, FDA “implemented temporary changes to its inspectional activities to ensure the safety of its employees and those of the firms it regulates as the agency further adapts to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of the omicron variant.”  FDA announced the changes … Read more

This technology can predict early Alzheimer’s with near 100% accuracy

January 07, 2022 The method uses Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning to analyze brain images.  It is faster than manual analysis, which also requires specific knowledge of the changes associated with Alzheimer’s.  Researchers from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania developed the method while analyzing functional MRI images obtained from 138 subjects.  They found … Read more

Futuristic bionic arm helps amputees feel the sensation of touch and movement

January 06, 2022 Dreaming of a future where Luke Skywalker’s replacement hand is more than a sci-fi fantasy, scientists have designed a “bionic arm” that enlists help from tiny robots to re-create the vital sensations forfeited when one loses an upper limb.  The bots do that by safely vibrating muscles at the amputation site. By … Read more

Machine Learning Triage Tool Better Predicts Mortality in ED

December 30, 2021 In a cohort study, researchers compared how an interpretable machine learning triage tool for predicting mortality operates in a cohort of patients admitted to the hospital from the Emergency Department (ED) versus standard triage scores.  ED triage is a complex clinical judgment-based process to understand a patient’s probability of survival and availability … Read more

Telehealth’s Limits: Battle Over State Lines and Licensing Threatens Patients’ Options

December 29, 2021 Tele-visits for medical care took off during the worst days of the pandemic, quickly becoming commonplace.  Most states and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services temporarily waived rules requiring licensed clinicians to hold a valid license in the state where their patient is located.  Those restrictions do not keep patients from … Read more

Steps taken toward smartphone app for automatically detecting Parkinson’s Disease

December 23, 2021 The team built a set of 126 voice markers (i.e., “features”) touching everything from tone, pitch and loudness to enunciation, pace and pause ratio.  Additionally, they had their best model analyze 25 isolated Spanish-language words pronounced by each study subject (50 Parkinson’s patients and 50 healthy controls). The study’s lead author is … Read more

Contrast-enhanced mammography as effective as MRI at evaluating newly diagnosed breast cancer

December 21, 2021 That is according to a new prospective, single-center study from the University of Southern California, published at the end of August in Clinical Imaging.  Magnetic resonance has served as the gold standard for evaluating new breast cancers or additional disease, given its “superior” sensitivity, USC experts noted.  However, it can pose new … Read more

Amazon makes moves for a major medical diagnostics play

December 16, 2021 Senior-level job postings offer a glimpse of the notoriously secretive and ambitious tech company’s global aspirations for medical diagnostics.  During the last week in August 2021, Amazon put a call out for a medical regulatory officer to be based in Seattle, where the online retailer and cloud computing company is headquartered. “Regular … Read more